Puella Magi An-Mei Magica
by ReneeDenim
Summary: Yesterday, An-Mei was a girl struggling with a new school and old insanities. Today, she's a magical girl fighting against witches with Kyoko Sakura against the white magical girl; Oriko. Join An-Mei in this twist of Madoka, Oriko, and Kazumi magica. (Story is currently on break)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: _The_ Girliest Uniform in the World

With every amount of hope you wish for, someone else must be equally cursed. That is how the universe keeps in equilibrium. A Mahou Shoujo who tried to bash my head in told me that once. I didn't really understand that at first, I thought it was just figurative speaking. But now I know that it's the equivalent to the world.

It's too bad though, that I'm seeing the world fall apart from despair now.

But I'm getting ahead of myself… I'm just going to start from the beginning.

April 9th

I was standing in a sea of people in front of Mitakihara Junior High School; while wearing the girliest uniform in the world… no not a girly uniform, _the_ girly uniform. It was a puffy sleeved shirt under a puffy sleeved beige vest with a red bow tie and a plaid pleated skirt. The only thing that wasn't originally apart of this uniform was the white gloves I wear on my hands because of… well… the incident…

Today is my first day here, and while most people would typically be nervous on their first day, I've been through this routine so many times I'm used to transferring to a new school. I'm just glad I got accepted somewhat close to the beginning of the year. But then again… this is kind of unusual in Japan.

But even though I've been to eleven different schools in my life time because of my parent's work and I've seen plenty of amazing looking schools, my wildest imagination could have never prepared me for this school. I say this because Mitakihara Middle looked more like some huge exotic glass mansion than a school.

I am so screwed.

I took a quick glance at my new student guide that I've looked over for about seventeen thousand times, and stared back up at the glass piece of work. How could such a fancy school accept… well… me? But hey, at least I was accepted despite of my… uh… reputation...

Well, maybe this will be different.

I took a deep breath and grinned. "Alright, a new school, and another chance to make friends" I said to myself. "Let's go…" Then I took my first steps onto the school.

The interior of the school was just as cool looking and exciting as the outside. Everywhere I went I saw pieces of art like statues and paintings that looked like they belonged in a museum, not a middle school. The halls were lined with glass windows peering into other parts of the school. Benches and tables lined the halls with students chatting about their lives sat. Boy… I really hope this school doesn't have a baseball team because one homerun could cause the deaths or injury of many students. "I'm gonna need a GPS just to find the exit…" I said in awe as I stared out a window that stared out into a portion of the school.

The classrooms were enclosed in glass walls and blue tiled floors. I waited outside my appointed classroom, E-1 and waited. Even though I had mustered together far more resolve than should be necessary for one's first day of classes, I still felt like I had a rock in my stomach. The thought of history repeating itself or the idea of these people knowing about my reputation, put me on edge. It doesn't help that I'm weirder than most kids.

For one thing, I only recently turned thirteen. In all of my other schools, I was placed one grade higher than other girls my age. The issue is because I loved school, reading in third grade and the fact I knew fluent German, Irish, and Chinese, and as well as English at the age of 8, the boards of the British and Japanese Educations put me in fifth grade when I should've been in fourth grade. Even though I'm normal age for students in Japan who are in the eighth grade, I still appear younger than everyone because of my odd appearance and the fact that my build is so small and delicate that I appear like a fifth grader. And I guess that wearing my light blonde hair in two low pony tails with a red head band adds to the fuel.

My appearance is as odd as my personality; my skin tone is between tan and pale, like flat in the middle of the two. And my eyes are two different colors; my right eye being a dark brown color and my left eye a very green color.

So yeah; smart and weird isn't exactly living the life lottery.

"Alright, you can come in now." A voice broke me out of my thoughts. Well now it's time to face these people head on. I straightened my back; shoulders back, and chin up like my dad always told me. Ok… I could do this.

I walked into the classroom and to the front of the whiteboard with way too much confidence than needed for one's first day. God damn it. But hey, the other students in E-1 were at least somewhat impressed. They all made noises of amazement and the occasional 'kawaii!'

"Alright then, everyone, this is our new transfer student." said the teacher standing next to me. She was a tiny woman, but still taller than me, with dark blonde hair and brown eyes behind red glasses. "Go on, introduce yourself."

I took a deep breath of mental preparation, and I put on my friendly face with a smile to boot. "My name is An-Mei N. Bleuspider." I did a small bow. "It's very nice to meet all of you." I took a marker from the board behind me and wrote the Japanese spelling for my name.

ホェイメイ

"My last name is pronounced 'blue' like '青' and 'spider' as in 'クモ'" I put the pen down and gave a final bow for the class.

Everyone awed in amazement and clapped.

"Ms. Bleuspider is joining us from the UK," the teacher gestured me to sit in a desk by to the right of a girl with short blue hair. The desks were really cool; they were retractable and came out of the floor. Technology can be amazing.

And then the questions came.

"Where in the UK did you live before moving here?" One girl with short brown hair asked.

"I moved a few times when I was there," I tried my best Japanese. I could say the language, but reading it is my weakness, especially anything in Kanji. "I lived in Blackpool for a while, and then in a town called Bangor, which is in Northern Ireland, and then finally London."

"Wooow!" a girl with black hair and glasses awed. "What's school like in the United Kingdom?"

"Um…" I couldn't quite interpret it. "Well, we get Saturdays off, and… it's very strict…"

"You're hair is such a cool color!" A girl with pig tails complimented. "Is that your natural hair color?"

"It is…" I awkwardly brushed a hand through my hair that went down to the middle of my back. "I'm… biracial, actually."

"Really?!" She asked, excitedly. "Smart, cool looking and incredibly cute, you've got everything!"

I gave an awkward laugh. "I wouldn't say that…"

The bell rang, ending our conversation.

As for the rest of the morning, everything went pretty well. I knew everything in Math and English. And in P.E. everything went well, I'm already athletic enough that I don't get tired right off the bat. So yeah, today wasn't bad.

Until lunch time… _then_ it started going downhill.

Where we eat in Mitakihara Middle, it looks like a restaurant. I found my own booth, and just as I was about to enjoy my food, I heard whispering from behind me.

"I thought Bleuspider was familiar, so I did research and I found out that Bleuspider was in the Promising Future's disappearances!"

"Oh that's right! I remember that five years ago! An entire class of fifth graders and their teacher went missing! The only two who were left were two students! And to think, they both go to our schools now!"

"I wonder what happened… the police withheld a lot of information to the public."

"Do you think Bleuspider is just as loony as the other one? What's her name again?"

I felt a chill roll across me… and a pang in my heart as the memories came flooding back…

I couldn't stand hearing this, so I left the lunch room without looking behind me. I didn't care where I went, just as long as I was away from here.

I ended up going to the roof of the school. It was somewhat Catholic style, and it shined a brilliant white. Pure really… how ironic…

I fell to my knees and stared up at the blue sky, wishing I could just get away from this place like the birds fly overhead.

Why…. Why does this have to happen…? Any chance… any chance at all of escaping just evaporates… any chances of just forgetting…

I hung my head. "Why… why couldn't I stop any of it, maybe they'd all be here if I wasn't so weak. I felt tears fall down my face and I furiously wiped them away with my hands encased in gloves. I stared down at them, wanting to be angry, but crying instead.

I hate being weak, is crying the only thing I can do? Why is it that whenever I try to face my memories I always break down into tears like a baby?! I hate it… I hate the fact that they're all gone, erased from history because of me, and all I can do about it is cry. I couldn't even help myself… and I hate myself for it.

Will I only be weak? I thought. Can I not help anyone?! Not even myself?! I stared back up at the heavens, tears still rolling down my face. "Is that my only purpose?!" I cried out loud, not caring who hears me or not. "Is crying and being weak the only thing I can be?!"

"It isn't, you can change that." A voice responded.

I blinked. "God…?" I wasn't expecting an answer.

"No, I'm not god." I looked down, and then shrieked and leapt backwards when I saw the white creature standing before me. In front of me was a small, cat-like creature, about two feet long (including tail). Its entire body is covered in often clean, white fur. It had, what appeared to be four ears; two that resemble an average cat, pointed and up, while the other two appear as long tassel-like appendages that split into three sections at their tip. The tassels fade from white to pink and have three red dots horizontally before the splits. They also bear a pair of floating golden rings. The most noticeable feature were two beady pink eyes with ark maroon irises and a tiny, sigma-shaped "cat mouth"

"Did you just talk?! What the hell are you?" I cried out. It was so creepy, yet oddly enough, it was cute.

"My apologies for scaring you, An-Mei." the cat-creature responded. "My name is Kyubey."

"Holy crap you did just talk!" I cried out. "How th- what th-"I couldn't even put words to sentence correctly. "And how do you know my name?!"

"I know many things about you An-Mei," the thing named Kyubey responded. "I've been observing you for about two days."

"You've been stalking me?!"

"Not stalking, per say, observing. I've been observing you from a distance."

"That still sounds like stalking!" I cried. "Why were you stalking me?!"

"Well," Kyubey finally blinked. It sounded like a boy… but it was more neutral. Kyubey, whatever he was, was emotionless. His voice harbored no emotion, and yet he seemed oddly cheerful. "I've been observing you, and now I've come to ask something of you."

"I don't take candy from strangers!" I said.

Kyubey sighed, but he still seemed patient. "I understand your shock right now, as you are a normal human." He blinked. "But not entirely normal… no, far from normal actually, but that's why I chose you."

"Chose me, for what?" I asked, starting to calm down.

"I want you to make a contract with me and become a magical girl!" Kyubey closed his eyes as he said it, making his appearance seem happier.

There was a silence between us as I took in what Kyubey had just said.

I didn't know how to respond, so all I said was "What?"

"Become a magical girl," Kyubey repeated. "All you have to do is agree to make a contract with me."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I don't make contracts without a lawyer."

"No, no, it's not a written contract." Kyubey began saying things that seemed fictional, things that shouldn't exist. But I didn't dare interrupt him. "An-Mei, if you agree to make a contract with me, you can be given the power of magic. You'll become a magical girl, and with your power, you'll be able to fight the despairs who roam the shadows of the world. And all you'd have to do to complete this contract is make a wish."

"Hold on a second!" I held a hand in the air to stop him. "Magic? That only exists in fiction! There's no way that it's real." But then again I am talking to some mutant cat thing… but then again I was half convinced that I was hallucinating.

"It is very real," Kyubey said. "You humans can be so alike; ignoring the fact that there are things in this world that your sciences can't explain. You, of all people, should believe more than anyone that there are unknown forces of this world that cannot be explained through simple equations. After all, that is what makes you unique as a human being."

He's right… I should believe… but the whole idea was so terrifying that I always turned the other direction.

"What do you mean by… despairs?" I asked.

Kyubey walked to the edge of the roof and stared out at the white city of Mitakihara. "In this world, there is hope and there is despair. Despair roams the shadows of the world, unseen, unknown for what they really are…" I walked to Kyubey's side and stared out at the city. "These despairs are more commonly known as witches. They lurk in the shadows of this world, and create the despairs that humans can't explain; murders with no motive, suicides with no reasons to why, and mysterious disappearances with no hope of recovery."

I looked at Kyubey; he seemed to know a lot more than I would most likely know. "But, why haven't people heard of these 'witches'?"

Kyubey turned his head to face me. "Witches hide in the shadows, the darkest corners of the world, unseen to humanity. And even if they were known to humanity, what could mere humans do? Your weapons and technology is no match for an unknown force."

"But surely-" I began to shout, but stopped, and said in a normal tone. "But surely, the world isn't ruled by these things, right?"

"The world isn't ruled by witches." Kyubey didn't blink; he seemed to stare into my soul. "For every bit of despair in this world, there is hope; that hope is magical girls."

"Magical girls, like in mangas?" I asked.

"No, any human in this world can hold the potential to become a magical girl. It isn't prewritten, it isn't chosen beforehand. Anyone can become a magical girl, and fight witches." He blinked. It almost made him normal. "But there are the rare occasions that a human can become a powerful magical girl. Like you; I've been observing you and there is no doubt in my mind that you will become a very powerful magical girl. At least, more powerful than most younger magical girls." He tilted his head to the side. "And if given enough time and training, perhaps you can even overpower one of the older magical girls."

"No," I forced myself to shake my head. "There's no way someone like me can become so powerful."

"It is possible," Kyubey said. "Even the desires you have now are enough to give you leverage. You are very unique as a human being, that's why I decided to approach you."

"My desires?" I asked. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"In order to become a magical girl, you must make a wish."

"A wish?"

"Yes," he hopped down off the ledge and onto the ground, staring up at me. "In order to become a magical girl, you must make a wish. Anything you desire; wealth, fame, passion, anything you want. It doesn't even necessarily have to be for yourself, you can wish for someone you care about."

"It's that easy?" I blurted. "How is it that easy? Even so, it seems rather suspicious. It can't just be that easy."

"An-Mei," Kyubey's tail flicked a bit. "I already know the despair that lays buried within your heart. The feeling of 'weakness' is your greatest enemy, correct?" I felt everything in my system freeze. Kyubey went on. "A great shadow of despair follows your footsteps, and curses you with other's despair wherever you go, correct?" I didn't say anything, I felt like my vocal cords were frozen. "You want to change your predicament, right? Become stronger, and be able to help those who can't protect themselves." He tilted his head. "Including you, from what, exactly?"

I felt a sick tremor within myself, and I gulped down the lump in my throat. "I… want to protect myself… from my own despair… and I want to save others… from my despair…"

"Now you can," Kyubey went on. "You can change it all, all you have to do is make a wish, and the contract will be complete." I heard the bell ring in the background, signaling that lunch was over. "But if you don't wish to make a contract, you can return to the life you have now, and I'll move on." I turned towards the doors to the inside of the school. "I'll let you think about your answer." I turned back to Kyubey… but he was already gone. I went to the rest of classes, but all I could think about was my encounter with the creature named Kyubey.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: One Wish

After school, I went to the Mitakihara mall to get groceries. I didn't tell anyone about the conversation I had with the creature called Kyubey. I bought food for one; my parents left for the airport this morning, they saw me off to school, but I knew they were gone. My parents have unusual jobs, but I don't know a thing about it. They never told me what their jobs were. As I left the grocery store, I saw newspapers listing all sorts of conflicts in the world; from wars to car crashes.

"I guess you start to notice how much despair there really is in the world when you start to look around." I said to myself as I walked to my neighborhood. My house used to belong to my aunt, my father's sister, Lee. She died four years ago, and in her will she left me, her 10-year old niece at the time, her large house and everything in it. I went there for a week three months after she died, but I haven't been to the house until now.

After about a year of legal debate, we were finally given the house. So I'm living there on my own. There's a good reason, why I haven't been to the house in four years, but I really don't want explain it all. But one of the main reasons was because my aunt was into the occult, or in more specific details spirits and possessions.

I unlocked the door, and my dog, Sirius the black German Sheppard, was waiting for me at the door. He barked happily and I patted his head.

"I'm glad you like the place," I said. "I love it too. I mean, I have some good memories here… even if I also have some bad ones here too." I looked around, the house seemed quiet. But unlike the first time I came here alone, it had a normal atmosphere instead of an ominous one. "Well," I took my shoes off and hung my bag on its respected hanger. "I'll get dinner going," I took the two bags of groceries into the kitchen.

The house was pretty big, too big for just one person and a dog to be living alone anyway. It was a two-story house, with many different rooms. Two were Japanese-styled rooms with two sliding doors and futons. There were many rooms; a dressing room, piano room, and the room I used to sleep in when I'd visit as a child. Everything was untouched, unmoved, and very, very, dusty.

I ate dinner, studied, took a shower, and began the challenge of picking which room to sleep in. There were six bedrooms out of at least twenty. I decided to stay in my aunt's old room. It had a huge bed, and the covers felt good, but sleep was the last thing on my mind.

I could only think about my encounter with Kyubey… and the possibility of making a wish and becoming a magical girl. What should I do? Should I make the contract? I could never tell my family of it, and I could die right? I'd be risking my life for complete strangers, and with no rewards.

But that's what I wanted right? I sat in bed with the lamp on and flipped through a manga magazine I purchased at the store; and found a manga about magical girls. I've always admired the magical girls in mangas and animes, they seem so brave and powerful… but they're like ordinary people. But then again, I'm not an ordinary person.

Ugh, I'm getting crazier by the minute.

I sat reading the manga until my alarm beeped. I was up all night, but I wasn't tired in the least. I rolled out of bed, and I heard the phone in the dining room ring.

"Hello?" I asked.

"An-Mei?" It was mom. "How are you?"

I was a bit surprised. "I thought you weren't going to call until tonight? Did something happen?"

"Nothing really, the plane just has some air conditioning problems so we're just sitting here for a while."

"You shouldn't be using your phone on the plane," I scolded. "You could get in trouble."

"I know… I just wanted to make sure you were ok." She said. "I'm a bit worried about that house. Everything is ok, right? Your condition is ok?"

"Everything's fine." I reassured. "I took the medicine, and I feel ok."

"Ok good," she sounded genuinely relieved.

Then I thought of something. "Hey mom… can I ask you sort of a weird question with honesty?"

"Sure, what is it?"

I took a deep breath. "If you could wish for anything for yourself but in exchange you'd have to do something for others in return, would you make a wish?"

"Well…" I heard her hum to herself. It's a habit that I'm used to hearing. "I would make the wish in all honesty. But I'd wish for something that made me happy in return."

"Um… what about wishing to help others and yourself?" I asked. Because it's the only thing I could think of that would make me happy. "Is that a good wish?"

"I think it's a good wish." She agreed. "But what's all this about?"

"Oh! Uh…" I hated lying, but I couldn't tell her about the encounter with Kyubey. She would never believe me or she'd think it was a hallucination due to my illness. "It's for an essay, what would you wish for if you could wish for anything but have to do something in return and why."

"Oh…" mom seemed to believe me. "Well good luck with it. If you have any issues, just call with the number I gave you. But only in case of emergencies."

"Right…" I checked the time. "I've got to go; I'll talk to you later."

"Alright, love you, An-Mei."

"Love you too, mom, bye." I hung up and got ready for school.

When I went back to Mitakihara Middle, everything seemed fine… but when I rounded the corner and someone fell down the stairs. I yelped as body hit floor.

"A-are you ok?!" I cried. I thought for sure that they had broken their neck. It was a girl who seemed to be an eighth grader with short brown hair. She looked up at me and stared at me with golden brown eyes. I felt a sick tremor in my stomach as I looked at this girl's face, no… it couldn't be. "Are you ok?" I asked.

She smiled; it was a big happy smile. "Aren't you just the cutest thing okatakanashi?"

"O-Okatakanashi…?" I asked. Okatakanashi means 'fun sized' in Japanese.

The girl stood up, she was about a few inches shorter than my five foot frame actually. "Yep, you're so small you should be called fun sized!"

I blinked. "Uh, okaaay…" I shook off that comment. "But, are you ok? You fell down the stairs!" I saw papers on the ground and scattered across the stairs. I heard the echo of students who were laughing. "Wait… were you pushed down the stairs?"

"Yup!" she replied.

"Don't act so happy about it!" I cried. "You could've broken something!" I looked at her up and down, but… not a single injury was visible. "You're… ok right?"

"Oh I'm fine!" the girl gathered up her stuff from the stairs. "I'll be ok, you don't need to worry!" She patted me on the head. "I've never seen you before, aren't you the new student from class E-1 right?"

"How did you know? Are you in my class?" I asked.

"Yup, but I don't show up to class a lot!" She said, with pride… for some reason…

This was a very weird conversation to be having with someone who fell down the stairs. And the way she looked… she looked like- no way… no way it's…

"Um…" I coughed a bit. "I-I'm An-Mei, by the way. An-Mei N. Bleuspider… hi."

"Nice to meet'cha, I'm Kirika Kure!"

None of us said anything, but I felt a sick tremor in my stomach again. "Do I… know you?"

She just smiled, and left without a word.

"Hey, wait!" I called after her… but she was gone. I felt my vision go hazy for a split second. "Ugh… stupid medical condition…" I went to the nurse's office, hoping to be sent home so I didn't have to go back to a class where everyone could be aware of my history.

"You have what medical condition?" The nurse asked me.

I lay on the hospital cot and had an arm draped over my eyes. "Early signs of schizophrenia or dementia, it's too early to be certain, but I get headaches a lot."

"Well…" The nurse seemed reluctant, but she gave in and wrote me a note excusing me from school. "Get plenty of rest, okay?"

"I will thanks..." I took the note and left a few minutes later.

You see, I've been diagnosed with early schizophrenia or dementia due to early childhood trauma because of the incident that gave me my reputation and my aunt's death that happened a year later. It's too early to be sure of which one is which, but basically, I'm crazy.

I have a tendency to talk to people who don't exist and hear voices that belong to no one. Strangely enough, the people who are figments of my 'imagination' seem very real to me. Even that conversation I had with Kyubey seemed like it made sense.

Wait what?! No way was that conversation real!

"I'm going crazy!" I said aloud to myself as I walked home through a park. "There's no way in reality that there's such things as witches or magical girls or ghosts or any of that!" I groaned and checked my temperature for a fever. "I'm sick… I'm crazy." I didn't run into Kyubey again that day. "I'm just some useless, crazy kid who hallucinates about the impossible." I stared at my feet as I walked forward. "I'm just a burden on others… nothing I think is real is real… I'm… I'm useless…" Yeah… I'm useless… because of me, an entire fifth grade class disappeared forever, even my aunt Lee… yeah…it's my fault… because I'm… weak… useless…

_mAyBE yOU sHOulD dIE_

Yeah… maybe if I died… no one would have to worry about me anymore…

_yES! yoU ShoULd jUSt dIe!_

Yes… I should just- wait… what am I saying?!

I snapped to attention; the world around me had changed; not in a normal way. The ground was covered in abstract paintings of people and the sky was a hazy red color that reminded me of that painting by Von Gogh called Starry Night.

"Where… am I?" I felt sick to my stomach and my vision was starting to darken around the edges. Something was wrong about this place, very wrong, and I was scared. "Hello?!" I turned a full circle, not another human being in sight.

And then it appeared.

Before materialized something of another world, something that should never have existed; it looked like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, but it had a name. It was spelled in Germanic Runes… but I could read them as if it were English.

Izabel

"What…?" I gasped as creatures came up from the ground.

Michaela

They had the body parts of people, but they weren't people. They were coming for me. "N-No, s-stay away..!" I scrambled backwards but I had no idea how I got here or how to get out. I fell backwards, and my body shook with fear. "N-NO!" I felt tears rolling down my cheeks, again. Goddamn it, am I going to die? Crying and shaking in fear?!

No… no, no, no, no, no… it can't end like this… I felt myself standing up, and I stopped shaking. Why? There's no hope, right? No… if they're going to kill me, they were going to work for it.

But then, the weirdest thing happened. I heard a gunshot, and the monsters exploded in a gust of hot air that smelled like decay. I covered my face and fell backwards again. When I opened my eyes, I saw… a girl.

She was standing between me and the monster, unshaken, unafraid. She wore something that looked like a commander in an army would wear; black coat, black skirt with a utility belt and a black captain's hat. She also had white gloves with a blue gem on the right hand. I couldn't see her face, but she had black hair.

"U-umm… I uh…" I was too shocked to make sense of words. But it didn't matter; the girl pulled out two guns from her utility belt and started shooting at the oncoming monsters. "What…?"

"She's a magical girl." said a familiar voice. I turned and saw Kyubey, sitting perfectly calm.

"It's you!" I cried. "Then…" I gave an astonished gasp. "I'm… I'm _not_ crazy? That conversation…"

"Yes, it was very real." Kyubey said, without blinking, of course. I turned and faced the girl again; she seemed to have combat skills beyond any army soldier… she seemed like the ultimate soldier even. "An-Mei," Kyubey interrupted my thoughts. "It's too dangerous for you to be here. You have to make a contract if you want to get out of here alive."

"What, right now?!"

"Yes, quickly!" Kyubey sounded… urgent… that was new.

"But, that girl seems to be-" But then, just as I turned to face the girl again, I noticed that she was starting to slow down, and the monsters named Michaela seemed to be increasing in numbers. "Oh no…" I gasped. There was no way she could fight off all of the familiars at once.

"That magical girl is going to die, An-Mei, you have to make a contract, now!" Kyubey cried.

"Die?!" I looked from the girl to Kyubey. "Can't you do something to save her?!"

"I can't," Kyubey responded. "I don't have the power to help that magical girl."

"But you can give people whatever they want, right?!" I cried as the girl took a huge hit to the chest and flew backwards a bit, but she still landed on her feet. Then, out of nowhere, she pulled out a machine gun and started firing.

"I can, but I can _only_ grant wishes." Kyubey said. "Listen, An-Mei, if you don't make a wish now, you're going to die here, and your body will disappear from this world forever."

"But what about that girl? She'll die too, right?!" I was scrambling to find a loop hole.

"Yes, but if you choose, you can save yourself and her." Kyubey was very frantic.

"Hey kid!" it was the girl. I turned to face her, and I saw her glaring at me with sharp, grey eyes. "This isn't some game this is a do or die. Win or lose!" She didn't seem to care if I made a contract or not, but… maybe she did care?

"But I _can't_ fight! I'm useless!" I begged. I didn't want to make this choice I was scared, yet again. "I… I don't know what to do!"

"Well, do something, or we're both going die." She was furious fighter. "Well?! How about it?! _Do you want to live, or die? The choice is yours!_" She yelled.

I felt like the world was moving in slow motion. What do I do?

It's just like before… the incident… I was standing before death, face to face, one choice could mean life or death.

One choice

One wish

Then I heard a voice that wasn't mine, Kyubey, or the girl's. It was unfamiliar but… familiar at the same time… as if I had heard it once in a dream from my childhood.

_Are you just going to sit there and cry? After everything your friends and family have suffered through? Are you going to let the world forget who you are?_

No… I don't want to be forgotten by the world… and I don't want to die either…

I stood up, my legs stable, the tears coming to a halt. I felt focused; I felt in control, I knew what I had to do.

"Kyubey…" I said my voice stronger. "I know what I'm going to wish for."

"Then tell me, quickly!" Kyubey said.

"I wish…" I closed my eyes, remembering my class and aunt. "I wish to have the strength and power to help others and myself." I yelled. "That's what I want most! So grant me this wish!"

I felt a sharp pain from my chest, and a red light surrounded by golden flames appeared before me. I felt light headed, but focused at the same time.

"The contract is complete!" Kyubey said. "Now accept your destiny!"

I clasped my hands over the light, and was surprised that it was a solid form. It felt warm, like fire, and I felt myself become stronger.

I felt myself land on the ground, with new clothes, and a new weapon in each of my hands; two identical scissor-like blades that gleamed red as if they were recently soaked in blood.

I grinned, and charged forward, taking down the familiars one after another.

The girl with the soldier's uniform looked at me with astonishment, but then went back to focusing on the monster named Izabel.

"Are you done crying?"

"Yes," I grinned. "How about… you take the left side and I take the right?"

"Whatever," the girl said. "Just stay out of my way."

We charged, the girl firing bullets at the thing and me bringing slash after slash with my blades. The monster screamed, and it sounded human, but not quite.

"An-Mei listen to me!" Kyubey's voice echoed in my head. "Use magic! You have Eternal Magic!"

Eternal Magic…? I looked down at my left hand; I had a black glove with a red slave pendent on it shaped like a cross. It seemed to give off heat. I aimed my hand at the monster, and small circles of energy surrounded me. I focused, and fire exploded out of the circles and surrounded the beast.

"It's not dead yet!" The girl called. "Let's just finish it!"

"Right!" I charged forward, blades at the ready. I needed to get up higher, so I leaped, and jumped at least five meters in the air. Mid way to the ground I drew my blades, and focused my energy. "This is the end!" I yelled, and brought down the blades hard onto the beast just as the soldier girl fired one last round of bullets at the monster.

There was a burst of heat and fire and a deafening scream from the monster. And just like, Izabel was no more.

The distorted painting-like world faded and brought me and the girl back to the park where I was last.

"We… we did it." I finally glanced down at myself; and noticed for the first time in the last few minutes.

My Mitakihara uniform was gone. Instead I was wearing a red vest over a black high-collared, sleeveless shirt. I had black shorts, under a red skirt with a brown belt around my waist. I wore black, knee-high socks and brown combat boots with red and gold laces. My arms were covered by black sleeves and my hands were covered with black, fingerless gloves with the cross-shaped jewel resting comfortably on my left hand. A red cloak, with a hood, clung to my back and fell to just past my knees.

"Well, I don't look like myself." I laughed, still a bit jittery from my first fight. "This is amazing!" Across the brown belt were pairs of red scissors, identical to the ones I had just used on the witch. In a flash of red and gold light, my magical girl disguise disappeared and my original Mitakihara Middle School uniform was back.

"You'll think differently about that in due time." The magical girl told me. She reached down and picked something up from off the ground. "Keep this. I don't need it. But you better keep an eye out for grief seeds." She tossed me something, and I struggled to catch it on point.

It was about the size of my soul gem, and kind of looked like a black ball on a skewer. Only the ball had an intricate design on it and a small trophy-like symbol lay on top of the skewer.

"What is this?" I asked.

"It's called a grief seed; actually it's a witch's egg. But there's nothing to worry about, it's safe in this form." Kyubey said. "These are very important to Mahou Shoujo."

"What does it do?"

"Summon your soul gem in the palm of your hand." Kyubey explained. "Then with your other hand, bring the grief seed close to your soul gem."

I opened my left palm and the small gem appeared, however it was darker than I last remembered. Then, slowly, I brought the grief seed closer to my soul gem. The darkness in my soul gem literally seeped out of the gem and into the grief seed. My soul gem glowed brightly.

"You used a lot of power in that fight. And if you're not careful, your soul gem could get corrupted." Kyubey said. "Keep an eye out for more grief seeds." He glanced over at my temporary ally. "You should use it too. You've been neglecting grief seeds for a while now."

"I don't want it." She said.

"It's very dangerous for you to be so careless." Kyubey said.

"I don't care." A flash of blue light engulfed the girl and replaced her military uniform with a school uniform I hadn't seen before.

"Maybe you should use it." I said, offering the grief seed.

The girl gave me an odd look. I couldn't tell what she was thinking. "Don't act all kind to me, kid. I only helped you because you just so happened to be there. From here on out, you have to take care of yourself."

"But-" I tried to say something. I had no idea what to say though, but it felt like I should've said something.

"Don't," She interrupted. "We're enemies now. If I ever see you in my territory again, I'll kill you."

"What?...!" I cried. "Why?...!"

The girl didn't say another word. And then she left.

Kyubey stared after her. "I don't know what is with that girl. I don't understand why some humans live like her."

"Who was she, Kyubey?" I asked.

"She's a Mahou Shoujo from Tokyo. So you don't need to worry about seeing her any time soon." Kyubey tilted his head slightly. "Although… I wonder why she was here to begin with."

A thought crossed my mind, but a silent one. I decided to ask, because it would've killed me if I hadn't. "Is she… dying?"

Kyubey was silent. "An-Mei, you have to understand that being a Mahou Shoujo isn't the safest job in the world. You are risking your life to stop witches."

"That doesn't answer my question."

Kyubey sighed. "Yes, she is dying. But it's very complicated. Her wish makes her very… different. She's able to substance large amounts of grief, but it's not always the best thing."

"I see…" I replied. Actually I didn't see. I had no idea what he was talking about. But I had a feeling that I would soon find out.


End file.
